The study revealed many people want a smaller military subservient to the elected civilian government.

It found many Fijians want the military to continue playing a part in international peacekeeping, and to keep its role in national development through disaster relief and building infrastructure.

But Lieutenant Colonel Tikoitoga told Radio Australia's Pacific Beat studies can be manipulated to serve an agenda.

"Studies can be made to serve anyone's agenda. If you want to serve the agenda of a current government in Fiji you will interview people that are pro-government.

"You want a study to reflect otherwise, then you will go to people that you will give you those same views, or the anti-government views."

In any democratic government in the future, the army will become subservient to the government.

Lt Col Mosese Tikoitoga, Fiji Military Land Forces Commander

Lt Col Tikoitoga says the military does not want to be involved in politics, and is smaller than people think.

"We are only 3,500. People talk about our size and say that we are a large army - the perception is wrong," he said.

"At the moment the military is running the country or is seen to be running the government but there is a civilian cabinet in place the entrenched government of the country.

"Apart from the fact that the prime minister is the commander of RFMF, the Fijian military forces (is) not, as an institution, involved with the daily running of the government of Fiji, that has to be made very clear.

"The army in the past has always been subservient to civilian government.

"In any democratic government in the future, the army will become subservient to the government."